The door gave way with a sharp crack, the lock tearing loose as the impact forced it open just enough to break the seal. The sound echoed through the room, louder than anything before it, final in a way that made my chest tighten instantly.
Everything slowed for a second.
Not in reality.
Just in my head.
The moment stretching, every detail sharper than it should have been. The splintering edge of the door. The shift in the air. The way Max didn’t move, didn’t step back, didn’t hesitate.
Then everything snapped back into motion.
The door burst inward fully, the force sending it crashing against the wall. Two men pushed through immediately, fast, controlled, not shouting, not panicking.
Focused.
Max stepped forward before I could even react, placing himself directly between me and th
